Method of making separable fasteners



' Jul 21, 1936. E, SEAVER 2,048,639

METHOD OF MAKING SEPABABLE FASTENERS Filed July 15, 1953 INVENTOR. Elliot 0. Seqver I ORNEYS.

Patented July 21, 1936 UNITED STATES METHOD OF MAKING SEPARABLE FASTENERS Elliot 0. Seaver, Meadville, Pa., assignor to Hookless Fastener Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 15, 1933, Serial No. 680,576

3 Claims.

My invention relates to separable interlocking fasteners and more particularly to methods of forming the individual parts of such fasteners.

An object of my invention is to provide a simple and economical method of forming separable interlocking fastener members accurately and in large quantities which will be suitable for use with non-metallic materials. Non-metallic materials of the plastic class for example, pyroxylin or phenolic condensation products, have various advantages in separable interlocking fasteners. Such material can be made in any color to suit the color of the article on which the fastener is to be placed. They are smooth, light weight, and attractive in apearance.

The conventional method employed for making separable fastener members from metal in which the recesses and projections are die forged, is not believed to be a practical method for making the fastener members from non-metallic material. Some of these materials, however, are of such nature that they can be punched in a manner similar to the punching of metal. According to my invention, projections may be formed on a blank by shearing a portion of the blank from the remainder thereof, displacing it relatively thereto sufficiently to form the projection without removing it entirely from the blank, and then anchoring the sheared portion in position. In the case of non-metallic materials this can be accomplished by a suitable sticking operation. In the case of fastener members, the interlocking projection and recess may be formed by placing the blank between a punch and die and pushing the punch partially through the blank so as to dispose a portion of the material downwardly relative to the blank sufiiciently to form the projection, but leaving the sheared portion sticking in the blank. It is then merely necessary to fix the punching or slug in its position. This can readily be accomplished provided the fastener members are made of soluble'material, by dipping the parts in a solvent of the material sufficiently to soften them so that they Will weld together. In the accompanying drawing, I have shown for purposes of illustration, two embodiments which my invention may assume in practice. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a fastener of the class to which my invention relates;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a fastener member;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section through a fastener member.

In illustrating my invention, I have followed the general design of one of the known types of slide fasteners. It comprises a pair of flexible supports herein fabric tapes 6, having fastener memhers I attached in uniformly spaced relation along (Cl. l859) the adjacent edges. The fastener members are interlocked and released by means of a slider 8, which is actuated by a pull tab 9. Each interlocking member, as noted in Fig. 2, comprises an attaching portion in the nature of arms or tentacles I 0, which are placed astride the tape and attached thereto, and at the other end, interlocking means, herein shown in the form of a recess I I and a projection I2.

According to my invention, a flat blank is first prepared and by means of a simple punching tool I3, and a cooperating die, the slug I4 is punched partially through the flat blank. Preferably the slug is punched from one-half to three-quarters of the distance through the blank. After punching the parts are treated with a solvent of the material, preferably by dipping them in a bath for a short interval of time, approximately thirty seconds. This will soften the material sufiiciently to cause the slug to stick in place by welding itself to the fiat blank but will not soften the material to the point where it will change its shape. If desired, the tool I3 may be shaped to enlarge the recess slightly in order that the end of the projection I2 may fit therein when the fastener members are brought together.

While I have shown and described in this application one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the purposes of illustration and description and thatvarious other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In the method of forming separable fastener interlocln'ng members of the class described, the preparation of a fastener member blank of nonmetallic material, punching a portion thereof partially through said blank to form a projecting pin on one side and a recess on the other side, and sticking said portion in such position in said fastener member blank.

2. In the method of forming separable fastener interlocking members of the class described, preparing a flat blank from soluble non-metallic material, punching a portion of the blank through said blank to form a projection on one side and a recess on the other side, and treating the same with a solvent of the material to stick said punching in such position in the fastener memher.

3. The method of forming a projection on a blank of non-metallic material which consists of shearing a portion of the blank from the remainder thereof and displacing it relatively thereto sufiiciently to form the projection, without removing it entirely from the blank and sticking the projection to the blank in its displaced position.

ELLIOT O. SEAVER, 

